In 1965 when I was 14 my grandfather who in my opinion was the original petrol head, took me and my younger brother to Calder raceway to see Bob Jane race his navy blue Chevy Nova it was the first time I’d seen or heard a big American V8 and I was hooked. On that same day the great Eddie Thomas was giving a demo run of his front engined T/F dragster in an attempt to reach 200 MPH down the 1/4 mile, I think he missed the the mark by 1 MPH. Now we have street cars topping 200 in 1000 yards as opposed to 1440 and T/F dragsters doing 3&1/2 secs at nearly 400 MPH over the same distance. Boy how things have changed I’m 73 years old and I’m still hooked, to coin an old movie phrase there’s nothing like the smell of nitro methane in the morning
@@kevinrandall8327 right on KR👍🏼, i can just imagine the “all new” excitement in them early days of HP & racing….. once bitten by the bug of hot rodding it just stays with you. Some just don’t get it or understand it I’m afraid. Very cool & thanks for sharing👍🏼🏁
Continued: Rods, 13.3 to 1 in a front digger. He raced Big Daddy Don Garlits back in the day. Remember watching TV Tommy Ivo in his four engine Buick nail head four wheel drive car. It was a great time in Racing innovation & history. Thanks for Memories! Keep it coming!
I've been going to drag racing events since 1970. I went to elementary school in Pomona , when the winter Nationals were going on we could hear the cars..when I go to vintage events the start the T/F cars on alcohol then switch to nitro..when they push started T/F car back in the day did they start them on nitro? or have a way to start em with alcohol first?
That’s a great piece of video. I was around to witness the evolution of Top Fuel and Funny Cars during the sixties. The quest for speed and desire for victory was and still is an awesome endeavor. Balls of steel for real 🏁.
@@69JANKS …. Will do JANKS. I started helping out in my oldest brothers Ford specialized speed shop during the early sixties when I was only 10 so I have plenty of memories from growing up at drag strips across the Southeast U.S. I also have a few vintage photos but don’t think it’s possible to post them in my replies to your extraordinary collection of awesome memories Seeing the twin engine fueler in your video reminds me of another great one. “TV” Tommy Ivo ran a four engine fuel dragster during the sixties. It has four Buick small block engines and four wheel drive. It looks wicked with four huge drag slicks on all four corners and when all four engines would cackle to life, the sound was truly amazing. Just like the typical fuelers of the sixties, it would smoke all four tires for the entire quarter mile run. I last saw him doing exhibition runs back in the eighties. His nickname is “TV” because of his acting career doing TV sitcoms during the sixties. I don’t know if he’s still around but you could google his name and get some great photos of his many different fuelers over the decades. Good stuff for real 👍
@@danielwilson6665 right on DW 👌🏼 great times i bet 🏁 Yes “TV” ivo i know also of. He did have some cool drag & exhibition cars throughout. I do know the 4 motor (4WD) Drag car it was cool as that thing...... Just don’t see cool ingenuity like that these days at the tracks 🤷🏼♂️🏁
Well I remember those times and have the picture to prove it. I use to own John Mella's Buick nail head dragster engine. It hilborn stack fuel injection front pump drive. Isky solid roller, Jahns or Venolia pistons on custom made aluminum
I ran a nail head in the UK back in the 70s. 600cfm Holley on the stock inlet, reground cam, solid lifters made by putting metal inserts in the hydraulics, Isky adjustable push rods, Jahns pistons, super stock ignition powered by a motorcycle battery under my seat. It sounded great but ran like crap!
In 1965 when I was 14 my grandfather who in my opinion was the original petrol head, took me and my younger brother to Calder raceway to see Bob Jane race his navy blue Chevy Nova it was the first time I’d seen or heard a big American V8 and I was hooked. On that same day the great Eddie Thomas was giving a demo run of his front engined T/F dragster in an attempt to reach 200 MPH down the 1/4 mile, I think he missed the the mark by 1 MPH. Now we have street cars topping 200 in 1000 yards as opposed to 1440 and T/F dragsters doing 3&1/2 secs at nearly 400 MPH over the same distance. Boy how things have changed I’m 73 years old and I’m still hooked, to coin an old movie phrase there’s nothing like the smell of nitro methane in the morning
@@kevinrandall8327 right on KR👍🏼, i can just imagine the “all new” excitement in them early days of HP & racing….. once bitten by the bug of hot rodding it just stays with you. Some just don’t get it or understand it I’m afraid. Very cool & thanks for sharing👍🏼🏁
magical times indeed.
Continued: Rods, 13.3 to 1 in a front digger. He raced Big Daddy Don Garlits back in the day. Remember watching TV Tommy Ivo in his four engine Buick nail head four wheel drive car. It was a great time in Racing innovation & history. Thanks for Memories! Keep it coming!
It Sure was a time of ingenuity & entertainment 🏁 not sure if times like that will ever be back.
Thanks for the comment i appreciate it 👍🏼🏁
I've been going to drag racing events since 1970. I went to elementary school in Pomona , when the winter Nationals were going on we could hear the cars..when I go to vintage events the start the T/F cars on alcohol then switch to nitro..when they push started T/F car back in the day did they start them on nitro? or have a way to start em with alcohol first?
That’s a great piece of video. I was around to witness the evolution of Top Fuel and Funny Cars during the sixties. The quest for speed and desire for victory was and still is an awesome endeavor. Balls of steel for real 🏁.
Thanks DW , wow that’s cool thanks for sharing that 👍🏼🏁
@@69JANKS …. No worries mate. I’m totally into the fine content that you’re posting 👍 🏁.
@@danielwilson6665 awesome DW thank you.
Feel free to chime in on anything or an old memory etc, i appreciate that kinda stuff 👍🏼🏁
@@69JANKS …. Will do JANKS. I started helping out in my oldest brothers Ford specialized speed shop during the early sixties when I was only 10 so I have plenty of memories from growing up at drag strips across the Southeast U.S. I also have a few vintage photos but don’t think it’s possible to post them in my replies to your extraordinary collection of awesome memories Seeing the twin engine fueler in your video reminds me of another great one.
“TV” Tommy Ivo ran a four engine fuel dragster during the sixties. It has four Buick small block engines and four wheel drive. It looks wicked with four huge drag slicks on all four corners and when all four engines would cackle to life, the sound was truly amazing. Just like the typical fuelers of the sixties, it would smoke all four tires for the entire quarter mile run. I last saw him doing exhibition runs back in the eighties.
His nickname is “TV” because of his acting career doing TV sitcoms during the sixties. I don’t know if he’s still around but you could google his name and get some great photos of his many different fuelers over the decades. Good stuff for real 👍
@@danielwilson6665 right on DW 👌🏼 great times i bet 🏁
Yes “TV” ivo i know also of. He did have some cool drag & exhibition cars throughout.
I do know the 4 motor (4WD) Drag car it was cool as that thing......
Just don’t see cool ingenuity like that these days at the tracks 🤷🏼♂️🏁
Well I remember those times and have the picture to prove it. I use to own John Mella's Buick nail head dragster engine. It hilborn stack fuel injection front pump drive. Isky solid roller, Jahns or Venolia pistons on custom made aluminum
Wow That’s really cool 👍🏼 thanks for sharing 🏁
I ran a nail head in the UK back in the 70s. 600cfm Holley on the stock inlet, reground cam, solid lifters made by putting metal inserts in the hydraulics, Isky adjustable push rods, Jahns pistons, super stock ignition powered by a motorcycle battery under my seat. It sounded great but ran like crap!
A lot of neat engines in fuel racing in the 1960's . My favorite would be the 392 Chrysler.
Sure was MC, all rare now🤷🏻♂️🏁……..the 392 Hemi was badass🏁
1500 hp !!!!
1/4 mile baby
👍🏼🏁
1/4 mile at Lions Dragstrip , then off to Pomona. R.I.P. Lions..(rare air)
Surprising more guys didn't die of cancer after wearing those full asbestos suits for years!
Nice CGI
@@rickymaracigan real footage, remastered & stabilised 🏁
Did he say the MASK was ASBESTOS?????
Yes lol 🤷🏻♂️🏁
Though Asbestos is highly fire proof
Most of those suits were all asbestos!!
The whole suit is made of it!!